School traffic snarls neighborhood

Year after year, the residents living on the private road of Summerhill Lane have been worried about the safety and wellbeing of Fallbrook High students, as well as the inconvenience of excess cars congesting their quiet street.

“My main complaint is the safety of the students,” said Summerhill resident Debbie McCain. Her main concern is about parents not using good judgment when dropping their children off on her street. Students are illegally jaywalking and dodging cars crossing busy Stage Coach Lane to get to the campus.

The children are being placed in great danger, she said. “The parents are too lazy to go back to the other end of the high school where [school officials] told parents they could drop off their kids safely.”

McCain mentioned that Abby Reinke, then wife of Maj. Gen. Claude Reinke, was killed in the same pathway these kids are taking. Just last year, there were fender benders on Stage Coach caused by drivers who nearly hit children illegally crossing the street.

August 20 was the first day of school at Fallbrook High. McCain and her neighbors hand-delivered letters to every parent driving up their private street to drop off kids. The letter clearly stated that this practice must cease. Included in this correspondence, McCain stated that on Tuesday, August 21, the bottom of Summerhill Lane would be blockaded to prevent any further trespassing. If parents show no regard for the safety of their children, McCain said, then she will step in and do it herself.

“On Tuesday morning, my truck is going to be parked right in the middle of the road and I will be sitting in a chair beside it. Drivers will not be able to go through Summerhill Lane,” she said. “I will be out there every morning until the end of school.” McCain also noted that she will follow the same protocol for football games, special events and graduation.

Debbie McCain has lived on Summerhill Lane since 1975 but notes that the problems have become more pronounced in the last two years. Last year, she explained, the school stopped allowing parents to drop off their students in the one-way thoroughfare and parking lot situated in front of Fallbrook High. “Our problem has exploded,” she said.

McCain notes that hurried parents whip onto Summerhill Lane, pull into a driveway, back out in a big rush and drop off the kids when they eventually near the corner of Summerhill and Stage Coach.

During the morning rush, which peaks between 7:15 and 7:45 a.m., the occlusion is so prominent on Summerhill that residents are often unable to back out of their own driveways. “There have been people who have not been able to leave for work because they couldn’t back their cars out. When it bottlenecks, no one can do anything.”

On average, McCain states, between 30 and 40 cars are on Summerhill Lane both in the morning and afternoon hours, blocking driveways and risking the welfare of their children.

On school days from 2:15 to 2:30 p.m., as school concludes, the scenario repeats.

Additionally, this excess wear and tear of their private road is costly for these residents to maintain.

McCain has diligently spoken to parents dropping their kids off on the private street in the past, but for the most part, she has been snubbed: “They roll up their window and drive on.”

Her concerns have also been met with some naysayers, especially given the fact that Summerhill Lane is so close to the high school campus. “Our road is private property,” she asserted. “They are trespassing. When people are breaking the law, they are breaking the law. It’s as simple as that.”

McCain has contacted many organizations – such as the CHP, Department of Public Works, Fallbrook Chamber of Commerce, Fallbrook High School and Dig Alert – for help.

The CHP has provided some help, claims McCain. “They know it’s private property and said we could put up a gate or barrier.” The CHP was there for the first day of Fallbrook High classes and officers helped notify parents that they needed to use an alternate route.

Through her flurry of phone calls and contacts, McCain has been assured that someone from the high school will be observing the situation as well.

“People have to be considerate about property that it not theirs,” she said.